Act on Lula da Silva

Case No. 26-2017: “NORWEGIAN NOBEL COMMITTEE”

Act on Lula da Silva

On March 8, 2018, an Act of International Repudiation for Nobel Peace Prize winner Adolfo Pérez Esquivel was made, since he publicly affirmed that he will support the candidacy of Inácio Lula da Silva to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. The Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights makes this repudiation because Lula da Silva has recently been sentenced to 12 years in prison for corruption offenses, as well as being tried in many other criminal cases related to crimes during the exercise of his Presidency in Brazil. In fact, the Brazilian criminal justice and police would be preparing the arrest of Lula da Silva to serve the 12 years of sentence. Even if it were recognized that the government of Lula da Silva reduced poverty and social inequality in Brazil, this does not mean that this individual should not be condemned for his crimes, much less that his criminal acts should be ignored and endorsed with a Peace Prize. Carrying out this kind of support acts, such as those of Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, only contributes to discredit what peace really means: to live in righteousness. Therefore, it is confirmed that Lula da Silva not only should not receive a Nobel Peace Prize in the future, but also that the UNESCO Peace Prize previously received by him should be annulled. Ergo, the Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights dictates that any government carrying out social welfare measures but simultaneously having high levels of corruption will be no more than a populist, undemocratic and illegal government. Defending of True and Adequate Peace is to criticize those who usurp the name of peace in order to validate their crimes.

Always with spirit of reconciliation (maitri),

Master Maitreya Samyaksambuddha

President and Judge of the International Buddhist Ethics Committee & Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights